The San Diego County Registrar of Voters conducted a random sampling test of 3% of the signatures. That test looked at 4,033 signatures and found that 3,212 were signatures of registered voters and 30 of the signatures were duplicates. Applying a formula, they decided that only 74,732 of the 134,441 submitted signatures, or 55%, are valid.

DeMaio has the option of requesting a full check of the signatures. This would cost about $150,000, and these costs would have to be paid by the supporters of the initiative. The county won't look at the signatures until and unless DeMaio's group pays the signature validation costs in advance. This puts supporters of the measure in a time bind, since August 6 is the deadline for certifying a measure for the November ballot.[2]